Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-09

wooden goods, TO pay a tribute t.
his fellOw-flTmer, rs well as to thu
manufacturer and merchant; mol
is any mention made Of the fac
that the sheep owners themselves
and their households mnst veal
clothing aud use other articles man
uiactured from the wool they sell al
tariff prices, and thus, and con
sumers, must return their share o.
this increased price to the trades
men.
think it may be fairly assumed
that large proportion Of the sheep
owned by the tanners throughout
the country are found in small
flocks numbering from twenty five
to fifty. The duty on the grade OF
imported wool which these sheep
yield is ten cents each pound if OF
the value Of thirty cents or less,
and twelve cents if Of the value OF
more than thirty cents. If the lib
eral estimate OF six pounds be al.
lowed for each fleece, the duty
thereon would be sixty or seventy.
two cents, and this may be taken
as the utmost enhancement of its
price TO the farmer, by reason OF
this duty. Eighteen dollars would
thus represent the increased price
of the wool from twenty-five sheep
and thirty.six dollars that from the
wool OF fifty sheep; and at present
values this addition would amount
To about One-third OF its price. If
upon its sale the farmer receives
this or less tariff profit, the wool
leaves his hands charged with pre-
cisely that sum, which in all its
changes Will adhere to 1t, until it
reaches the consumer. When man
utactured into cloth and other goods
and material for use, its cost is not
only increased to the extent Of the
farmers tariff profit, but further
sum has been added for the benefit
of the manufacturer under the oper-
alton of other tariff laws. In the
meantime the day arrives when the
farmer finds it necessary to pur-
chase wooden goods and material
to clothe himself and family for the
winter. When he faces the trades.
man for that purpose he discovers
he is obliged not only to return in
the way Of increased prices his
tariff profit on the wool be sold and
which then, perhaps, lies before
him in manufactured form, but that
he must add a considerable sum
thereto to meet a further increase
in cost caused by tariff duty on
the manufacture. Thus, in the end
he is aroused to the fact that he
has paid upon a moderate pur.
chase, as a result of the tariff
scheme, which, when he sold his
wool seemed so profitable, an in.
crease in price more than sufficient
to sweep away all The tariff profit
he receiyed upon the wool he pro-
duced and sold.
When the number Of farmers en-.
gagged in wool raising is compared
with all the farmers in the country,
and the small proportion they bear
TO our population is considered ;
when it is made apparent that, in
the case of a large part Of those
who own sheep, the benefit of the
present tariff on wool is illusory ;
and, above all, when it must be
conceded that the increase Of the
cost Of living caused by such tariff
becomes burden upon those with
moderate means and the poor, the
employed and unemployed, the sick
and well, and the young and old,
and that it constitutes tax which,
with relentless grasp, is fastened
upon the clothing of every man,
woman and child in the land, rea.
sons are suggested why the remOv.
al or reduction Of this duty should
be included in d revision of our
tariff laws.
MORE SELFISH TRUSTS.
In speaking Of the increased cost
to the consumer Of our home manu-
features, resulting from a duty laid
upon imported articles of the same
description, the fact is not over
looked that competitor among our
domestic producers sometimes has
the effect of keeping the price of
their products below the highest
limit allowed by such duty. But
1t is notorious that this competition
is too often straDggled by combina.
tons quite prevalent at this time,
and frequently called trnsts, which
have for their object the regula-
ton Of the supply and price of COM
mOditieS made ard sold by mem
bers of the combination. The peO.
pie can hardly nope for any con-
slderatiOn in the operation of these
selfish schemes.
If, however, in the absence of
such combination, a healthy and
free competition reduces the price
Of any particular dutIable articles
of home production, below the limit
which it might otherwise reach
under our tariff laws, and if, with
such reduced price, its manufac-
ture continues to thrive, 1t is en-
tlrely evident that one thing has
been discovered which should be
carefully scrutinized in an effort to
reduce taxation.
The necessity OF combination to
maintain the price of any com.
modify to the tariff point, furnishes !
proof that some one is willing to |
accept lower prices for such com.
and that such prices are |
remunerative; and lower prices
produced by competition prove the
same thing. Thus where either OF
hese conditions exist, case would
seem to be presented for an easy
'eductiOn of taxation.
The considerations which have
been presented touching our tariff
avs are intended only to enforce
IN earnest recommendation that
he surplus revenues Of the govern
nent be prevented by the reduction
# our customs duties, and at the
anne time, to emphasize sugges.
ion that IN accomplishing this
we may discharge double
.uty to our people by granting to
han, a tnaaaura of rnlinf from tariff |